Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, January 13, 2009

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Law firm mergers rose slightly in 2008, expected to pick up in 2009
"Law firm mergers rose slightly in 2008 over the previous year, and experts are predicting that the trend will pick up speed in 2009 because of the unstable economy. Of the 55 mergers last year, the largest brought together Kansas City, Mo.-based Blackwell Sanders and St. Louis-based Husch & Eppenberger. The resulting firm ? Husch Blackwell Sanders ? had a headcount of 630 attorneys. Already this year, 20 mergers have been completed."

WEB-ONLY  |  In wake of Satyam outsourcing fraud, U.S. firms urged to do 'risk assessment'
"Anxiety that a major Indian outsourcing firm may be lurching toward insolvency has stepped up warnings from lawyers with global outsourcing practices that U.S. firms should guard against the loss of back-office services. 'We are advising our clients to do a service supply chain risk assessment,' said Michael Murphy, a partner in the global outsourcing practice at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman's San Francisco office."

WEB-ONLY  |  In a little-noticed move, Illinois AG wants 'Blago' out, but backs Roland Burris for Senate
"Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who tried last month to catapult Governor Rod Blagojevich from office, can't get rid of the tainted governor fast enough, but that's not stopping her from backing Roland Burris, the governor's pick for the U.S. Senate."

WEB-ONLY  |  Immigration prosecutions soar, represent half of all federal prosecutions
"Immigration prosecutions have soared during the Bush sdministration, representing more than half of all federal prosecutions, up from 18% in the first fiscal year of Bush's presidency, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse."

WEB-ONLY  |  Two Milberg kickback defendants set to report to jail
"Two defendants convicted in the criminal kickback case against Milberg LLP, former partner Steven Schulman and Howard J. Vogel, a former lead plaintiff represented by the New York firm, are scheduled to report to federal prison this week."

WEB-ONLY  |  4th Circuit strikes down indefinite lock-up of those tagged 'sexually dangerous'
"The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down as unconstitutional a 2006 law that allowed the federal government to place under indefinite lock-up anyone considered "sexually dangerous" even beyond the end of prison sentences. The conservative 4th Circuit became the first federal appellate court to weigh in on the constitutionality of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, striking down the civil commitment of five men held years beyond their completed prison terms."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on January 13, 2009 (boomark / email).